


Running for Freedom

by Daughter_of_Scotland



Category: Glee
Genre: Alternate Universe - Medieval, M/M, Romance, Sinti, references to other couples, use of the word gypsie
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-09-04
Updated: 2015-09-04
Packaged: 2018-04-19 01:41:19
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 8,197
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4728002
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Daughter_of_Scotland/pseuds/Daughter_of_Scotland
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Wealth can make you lonely. Freedom can make you feel lost. When two worlds collide, feelings change and happiness can find its way back into two boys’ lives.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Running for Freedom

**Author's Note:**

> Thanks to people on tumblr telling me I should, I'm putting up my old Kurtofsky fics :)  
> You might know them from ff.net.

Kurt looked out his window, down on the marketplace below.

When the coal market had opened a few years ago and his father had told him they’d move into a house near it, he had been delighted – he had imagined bustling and interesting people at all times.

What he got instead was noise on every market day and the same dull sight on every other day.

Today, however, the sight was different. There were brightly colored tents, caravans and and oddly clothed people running around the market square.

Kurt was curious but he couldn’t just go outside, he had to wait until his father told him it was okay for him to go.

Kurt sighed. Sometimes he hated being so… _important._

 

There was a knock on his door and when he turned around he saw Finn, his stepbrother, smiling brightly at him.

“Oh, so you’ve seen them already,” the tall boy said, coming to stand besides Kurt.

“Who are they?” Kurt asked, feeling the always present pang of jealousy at learning that Finn knew something he didn’t – just because he was allowed to go outside whenever he pleased.

“They’re Gypsies,” Finn said, excited. “Or, well, to be precise, _Sinti,_ members of the Romani people. They’ve come all the way from Italy and are staying in town for a few days. Normally they reside outside, but your father gave them permission to give a show on the market.”

Kurt felt excitement bubble up inside him. Gypsies! In his town! That was so adventurous!

“Oh, I hope Papa will let me go see the show,” he exclaimed, clapping his hands. “I’ve never seen Gypsies before!”

 

“And you won’t this time, either,” came a voice from the doorway and the boys turned around to look at Burt Hummel, Mayor of Braunschweig, one of the biggest duchies in the German Empire.

Kurt felt disappointment crush him. “But… why not?” he asked. “Father, why am I not allowed to go out?”

Burt shook his head, motioning for Finn to leave. The taller boy shot Kurt an apolegtic look and left the room, closing the door behind him.

Kurt’s hand curled into fists at his side and he felt angry tears prick his eyes.

“Why am I never allowed to do _anything_?” he wailed. “I’m not a child anymore, Father! I’m already 17 years old.”

Burt closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. “You might be almost of age,” he said slowly, “but you’re surely no adult, Kurt. You know, with me being the Mayor, you have certain… obligations. And you refuse to act accordingly.”

Kurt paled. “Father, I can’t just _marry._ Especially not _Rachel._ She’s my best friend, I can’t marry her.”

Burt took a step closer but Kurt shook his head. “Don’t touch me now, Father. I’m angry. I don’t… I just want to live a normal life, for once. Finn’s allowed to!”

Burt scowled. “Finn is not my son by blood,” he said. “I love him as I do you, but he’s less in danger than you are. His responsibilities are of a different kind. Also, _he_ already agreed to marry young Quinn Fabrey next summer.”

Kurt looked away, out of the window again. The Sinti were preparing for their show and his eyes fell on a young man with brown curls who carried not one but _two_ tent-poles around.

“Father, I won’t marry Rachel,” he said quietly. “I won’t. I don’t love her and I never will. I don’t care what you think my responsibilities are, I want to control my own life. And you can’t keep me in here forever.”

He looked back at Burt who returned his gaze coldly.

“I believe you just made my point,” he said, turning around. “You’ll stay in the house, Kurt, for as long as I say.”

He left the room and closed the door, just before Kurt threw a pillow against it with a scream.

 

***

 

Dave heaved a heavy sigh when he was done with the tent. This was his least favorite task: Putting up the tents for their shows.

Well, but at least they were allowed inside the city, for once, normally it was only big great fields. And there were always less people coming to their shows in that case.

He heard chatter and looked up, right at a group of young people standing across from him.

He straightened and smiled, like he had learned from an early age.

“Hello. Can I help you? Are you interested in knowing what we’re doing for tonight’s show?”

The three girls – two blondes and a brunette – giggled and the two boys shared a look, before the taller stepped forward. “Yeah, actually, that would be nice,” he said, smiling. “I’m Finn, these are Sam, Rachel, Quinn and Brittany. We’re really excited for your show, we’ve never seen Sinti before.”

 _No wonder, we were not allowed to come here for years,_ Dave thought sarcastically but continued to smile. “I’m surprised you know how to call us. Normally people just call us “gypsies” and be done with it.”

The brunette stood straight – probably trying to look taller – and put her hands on her hips. “Well, for the _educated_ people it is normal to make sure that we know what kind of folks are visiting our beloved city at all times,” she said and Dave blinked, feeling confused.

One of the blondes – Quinn – smirked. “Don’t try to follow her talking, she’s always like that. We normally just nod and pretend to understand her.”

Rachel bristled but Dave had to smile.

“You sound like fun people,” he said, smiling for real now. “Most times the townpeople aren’t that nice.”

Finn shrugged. “Well, we’re exicted for tonight, as I said. So. What do you have?”

Dave grinned and started to show them around their little market-camp.

 

***

 

“Sweetheart?”

Kurt turned his head to the door and smiled weakly at Carole, his stepmother. “Hello, Carole,” he said. “I’m sorry for the racket earlier.”

She returned his smile warmly and sat down besides him on the bed. “It’s fine, Kurt,” she assured him. “I can understand why you’re upset.”

She stroke his hair for a moment and he started to cry in frustration. “I just… I want to get _out_ for once,” he wailed. “I want to be like all the other children. I just want to be normal.”

Carole let him cry and waited until he’d calmed down before she spoke again.

“I know it’s not easy for you,” she said. “But you know, your father only does these things because he loves you. He doesn’t want to lose you.”

Kurt looked at her. “What could possible happen if I just go to the market and watch a show?” he asked. “That doesn’t make sense.”

She shook her head, her heart breaking for him. There was so much he didn’t know – and she wasn’t allowed to tell him.

“I talked to him,” she said. “He said as long as you stay with Finn and your friends the whole time, you may go.”

His face lit up in the hugest smile and he reached out to hug her.

“Oh, Carole, thank you!” he cried. “This is wonderful! Yes, I’ll stay with the others, I promise, I just want to watch the show and be back as soon as it’s over!”

She hugged him back and smiled, relieved that he was happy again.

She knew Finn would take good care of Kurt, nothing would happen, surely.

 

***

 

Kurt was practically glowing. He wore some of Sam’s old clothes, much sturdier than his own, which wouldn’t betray him as a high class citizen at first glance and soaked up all the bustling around him.

He was staying close to Finn and Rachel, as he had promised, and found he didn’t have enough eyes to see everything the Sinti had to offer.

They were acting more like a regular troupe than gypsies, Rachel had told him, but he didn’t care.

He enjoyed the fire show, the wrestlers, the jugglers… It was more entertainment than he’d had in years.

“Look, there’s a fortune teller,” Quinn said suddenly, pointing to a tent which was less colorful than the others. “Who’s up for it?”

Kurt smiled. “I’ll go first,” he said, laughing. “Finn, will you wait for me here?”

His brother nodded, returning his smile. “Sure, Kurt, go on. I’ll be over there, watching the wrestlers.”

Sam and Rachel followed him, while Quinn and Kurt walked over to the tent; they had lost Brittany a while ago already to some dancers.

 

A young man stood before the tent, he looked like he was their age. He was Asian, which was something that was a new concept to Kurt – he never dealed with the traders from foreign countries, so he rarely saw foreigners at all.

“One person at a time,” the man said and smiled. “Ladies first?”

Quinn shook her head and shoved Kurt a bit; he stumbled into the tent.

A table was standing in the middle of it and on the other side of it sat a woman, also Asian.

“Hello, young man,” she said and Kurt moved forward, feeling nervous. She gestured to the pillows before him. “Please, sit,” she said. “Should I read your hand or your cards?”

He swallowed and sat down. “Uhm… cards, please.” He didn’t like strangers touching him.

She nodded and shuffled a deck of cards. “Draw seven,” she instructed him, “and give them to me face down.”

Kurt nodded and did as she told him.

She took the cards and started lying them down in a row.

“Every card has a single meaning,” she explained. “Every card also works together with the ones beside it. So, your first card is the Cross, which is actually very good.”

She smiled at him. “It’s a Card of Fate. It means that whatever you do, something watches over you and protects you.” She flipped the second card. “Oh! The Heart. This is really good, it means love will play a great part in your future.”

Kurt blushed heavily. “Really?” he asked, excited. “I’ll find love?”

She nodded. “Yes, and a wonderful one, too. Let’s see… oh.”

The next card was the one of a man and she looked at Kurt speculativly. He blushed deeply and felt something flutter in his stomach but he didn’t say anything.

The woman flipped the next card – a Book.

“Well, this means, right now, that you don’t know your love yet. But you’ll meet him for sure, and soon.”

Kurt nodded, still not able to say anything. His love was supposed to be a man? He didn’t know what he should think of that.

“The fifth card – the Letter. It means there’s gonna be a message, probably concerning a wish of yours, which will arrive in the near future. Next we have the Stork and the Ship – both together mean you’ll undergo an unexpected journey.”

She looked up at Kurt again, smiling. He realized that she couldn’t be much older than he was.

“All in all, young man, I have to say you seem to have a fairly good future ahead of yourself. A still unknown love, a journey and some good news. You’re a lucky one.”

He nodded, smiling nervously. “About the – the man…”

She shrugged. “Dear, we never know where love might bloom,” she said, chuckling. “Just wait – you’ll find your love.”

He nodded again and stood, looking through his purse. “Thank you,” he said earnestly. “This was very interesting.”

She took his coins with another bright smile and he left, blinking in the last rays of sunlight illuminating the market square.

Quinn smiled at him before she entered the tent and he looked around for his brother and friends.

 

He couldn’t find them at first glance so he decided to wander around for a bit – it wouldn’t be too bad if he was separated from Finn for a few minutes, surely.

He wandered around the market square, stopping to chat with Brittany for a few minutes, who seemed entranced by a couple of dancers, one of them a fiery looking woman with black hair and a man with darker skin.

Suddenly he smelled something delicious and heard his stomach growl. Embarrassed, he followed the smell to a fire place. A girl, maybe a bit older than him, with black skin stood there and stirred something that looked like stew.

She smiled when she saw him. “Hiya,” she said. “You want some?”

He licked his lips. “I don’t want to take anything away,” he said hurridly. “But I can pay you.”

She laughed and waved him off. “Oh, come on, you’re so skinny, you can’t eat much. Here, take a seat, I’ll give you a bowl.”

He chuckled and sat down on one of the lodges around. “Do you always take all this with you?” he asked curiously. “I mean, these are not usually on the square…”

She handed him a bowl of stew and shook her head. “Well, no. We got them from the carpenter. Most of the time we sit on the ground. This town is very nice.”

Kurt glowed with pride. “I’m sure the Mayor is happy to hear that,” he said, not wanting to tell her who he was. He took a bite of stew and moaned in delight. “This tastes wonderful,” he exclaimed. “Probably the best stew I ever had!”

She grinned. “Glad to hear it. So. I’m Mercy, what is your name?”

He swallowed and shook her hand before continuing to eat. “Kurt. I really like your group.”

He pointed. “I was just at the fortune teller. She gave me a card reading.”

Mercy nodded. “Oh, yes, Tina’s very good at her job,” she agreed. “And from the looks of it you got good news?”

He nodded in agreement but didn’t say anything in favor of eating more. This stew really was delicious!

 

“Mercedes?”

Kurt looked up from his bowl to stare at the owner of this new, deep voice. It was the guy he’d seen from his window, dark curls plastered to his sweating face.

He was shirtless and Kurt blushed deeply, seeing the defined muscles under the tanned skin.

Mercedes smiled at the newcomer. “Dave, good to see you,” she said, handing him a bowl, too. “Are you guys ready for your performance?”

He nodded, sitting down opposite of Kurt, eyeing him warily. “Yes, I just finished putting up the stage,” he answered. “Thought I’d get a bite to eat – are you feeding townpeople again, Mercy?”

Kurt gave a little squeak and hurried to look away from Dave, embarrassed to be caught staring.

Mercedes laughed. “Don’t be mean, Dave,” she scolded him. “Kurt here was just hungry. He just came back from Tina and you know how her inscence is to some people.”

Kurt risked another glance and saw Dave smiling at him. “Yeah, I know,” he agreed. “Nice to meet you, Kurt. I’m Dave, I’m with the singers.”

Kurt swallowed the rest of his stew and smiled. “You sing?” he asked, excited. “That sounds wonderful, I love singing.”

Dave laughed. “Glad to hear that. We’re gonna have a little show in a bit – hope to see you there.”

Kurt nodded eagerly. “Sure, definitely,” he agreed. “I’m really excited about being here, it’s really fun.”

Dave and Mercy both grinned at him widely. “Thank you, we appreciate that,” Dave said and stood. “I have to go, hope to see you at the show.”

He waved and left. Kurt stared after him, blushing. “He’s really… strong,” he said and met Mercedes’ twinkling eyes. “Yes, he is,” she agreed and took his bowl to clean it. “He also has an amazing voice, you’ll like it.”

Before Kurt could respond he heard his name being called and looked over to see Rachel and Finn running to him. He sighed.

“I have to go,” he said sadly. “Thank you for the stew, it was really amazing.”

Mercedes smiled in return and he went to joing his friends, expecting to get lectured by Finn about his running off.

 

***

 

Despite Finn’s anger about “losing” Kurt, he didn’t want his brother to miss the show so just a few moments later Kurt and his friends were standing in the first row of the huge group that wanted to see the Sinti sing.

Brittany was standing on one side of Kurt and told him that the girl she’d met, Santana, and her partner, Noah, would be among the performers, too, and Kurt had in turn told her about Dave.

Just a few moments later, Santana, Mercedes, Noah, Dave and the guy who had stood before Tina’s tent entered the circle the audience had made for them.

Music flowed from a group of adults a few steps away and the young people started a complicate looking routine of singing and dancing, clapping and stomping their feet.

Kurt was mesmerized. The music seemed to flow through the ground, right into his body, setting his blood and nerves on fire.

And when Dave opened his mouth to sing with his friends – _family_ , Kurt’s mind corrected him – Kurt’s every sense concentrated on him. His low, strong voice filled him up, made it hard to breathe and he wanted to sing himself, lost in the music.

No words filled his mind, just a beautiful sound, screaming _freedom_ at him.

It wasn’t until Finn touched his shoulder that he opened his eyes and realized that he’d been crying.

“You okay, Kurt?” he asked, worried, and Kurt nodded, feeling dizzy. “I… Yeah, I’m fine… Just… The song’s so beautiful.”

Finn clearly didn’t believe him but was kind enough to not continue to question him.

Nevertheless, after the show – which ended with a wonderful and _dangerous_ display of fire-eaters and –jugglers – he insisted on going home and Kurt had no choice but to follow.

 

***

 

That night Kurt lay awake, his thoughts racing. His mind was filled with songs, fire and above all, Dave’s face.

Kurt had known for a long time that he could never love Rachel like she deserved if he married her, but this was the first time he felt like he could love _anyone._

And now that he’d found someone who made him feel like this… He was losing him already.

Tears formed in Kurt’s eyes as he realized that he’d probably never see Dave again.

The Sinti were already preparing to leave town the next morning, they’d been packing all evening.

Kurt sobbed. Leaving town… Travelling all the time… Doing whatever you wanted… It was a dream Kurt knew would never come true for him.

 

Kurt sat up in his bed, shocked by his idea. But still…

He bit his lip and looked around his room. His home, where his family lived… His sanctuary… His prison.

In a flash, without actively deciding it, he was out of bed and grabbed a bag Finn had given him for his last birthday. It was big and waterproved, perfect to fit in clothes, a bit of soap and a blanket, plus the leftovers from his supper.

Good thing his father had decided to let him sleep in in the morning, he wouldn’t be missed that early this way. He’d already be far away when they noticed his absence…

But Kurt didn’t think about being missed right now, he thought about being sneaky, making it out of the house and over the empty market place without being seen.

He climbed into the first wagon he found, filled with props and material, empty of bodies, and rolled himself in his blanket, before immediately falling asleep.

 

***

 

Dave rolled his shoulders. He was sitting on the wagon at the end of their trail and had to urge the mules to go on every few minutes.

This plus the light rain that had started to fall a few minutes ago didn’t do well for his muscles.

Suddenly there was the shout for camp from the front and Dave groaned in relief. Camp meaned food and maybe – just maybe – Mercedes would be nice enough to give him a quick massage.

They wouldn’t reach the next town today, maybe not even tomorrow, but Dave didn’t care – they’d given a good show the day before and had been able to get a lot of provisions they’d been lacking before.

Dave smiled. That town had really been great… With great people in it.

He relieshed the memory of the boy he’d met at Mercedes’s fire – Kurt. He’d watched him during his performance; he’d looked positively enthranced.

Dave’s smile grew as he stopped the wagon after leading it into the circle.

That boy had made him feel joy in his performance he’d thought he’d long forgotten.

Doing the same thing over and over – and mostly being hated and despised for it – had made him start to resent it. It had made him feel strangely empty, too.

But Kurt… The boy had warmed his heart.

 

He hopped off the wagon and went to look inside for his cooking gear – it was his turn to cook for his part of the crew, Santana, Mercedes, Noah and himself. The family always divided tasks into their groups and normally Michael would be with them, too, but after he’d married Tina, he belonged to her group, together with William, their leader, and Emma, his wife.

Dave smiled again, thinking about his friends. The wedding had been beautiful, if rushed. And he was happy for them, he really was… He was just lonely, watching them loving each other so much.

He sighed and opened the wagon flap – just to let out a sudden scream, when he saw himself face to face with the boy he’d just been thinking about.

 

***

 

Kurt had woken up a while ago, stiff and ruffled. He was jostled around in the wagon, not sure what to do.

He could have just moved to the front and talked to the driver, but he wasn’t sure how that would be received.

He ate the rest of last night’s supper in silence, wishing for a drink of water. After a while it hit him that maybe this hadn’t been such a great idea after all…

But it was too late to just jump from the wagon and go back home, because right that moment the movement stopped and he heard the driver get off, moving around to the flap in the back.

Kurt’s eyes widened in shock. He wasn’t prepared to meet anyone!

He suddenly realized he hadn’t even thought about what he’d say!

 

The flap opened and his eyes met Dave’s, who let out a scream when he saw him, letting go of the flap right away.

Kurt chuckled helplessly. That was definitely unexpected…

 

The flag opened again and Dave stared at him, together with Mercedes who’d apparently rushed over after his scream.

“What are you _doing_ here?” Dave asked aghast and Kurt bit his lip. “Uhm…”

“Oh, for god’s sake, Dave, let the boy climb out first,” Mercedes scolded him and held out her hand for Kurt. “Come on, Kurt, we won’t bite.”

He smiled and with her help he managed to get his stiff body out of the wagon and to the ground, careful to not look at Dave.

By now most of the other Sinti had noticed what was going on and came over, too, preceeded by a man with curly hair and a worried look on his face.

“What’s going on here?” he asked Dave. “Who’s this?”

Dave sighed. “This is Kurt,” he said and Kurt tried another smile which failed. “He’s from the town we just left… I don’t know what he’s doing here, Will… He apparently spent the night on my wagon.”

Will looked at Kurt and crossed his arms over his chest. “Well, boy?” he demanded. “What are you doing here?”

 

Kurt swallowed. “I… I wanted to leave the town,” he stammered. “I thought I could… Come with you… I had to hide somewhere and then I fell asleep… I’m sorry…”

The Sinti shared a look – and it was kinda creepy how the whole group knew how to use the same facial expression – and Will sighed.

“Why did you want to leave the town, Kurt?” he asked and Kurt swallowed again.

He had to lie about this, because no way they’d take him with them when they found out he was the mayor’s son.

“I wasn’t happy,” he said. “I’m working at the mayor’s house and it’s just so strict and… I loved your singing,” he said to Dave. “I wanted to join you…”

Another look and then Will shrugged. “Well, you’re here already, and we’re not gonna turn around. You can stay, but you’ll have to work like all the others.”

Kurt nodded eagerly. Of course he’d work. He could do that, it couldn’t be that hard for sure.

Will looked at Dave. “He chose your wagon and wants to sing with you, apparently. He’s part of your group now.”

Dave nodded, looking at Kurt with a frown. “Yes, Will, of course.”

Will nodded, too, and he and the other Sinti – with exception of Dave and Mercedes – walked away, starting to set up camp.

Kurt looked up at Dave. “Thank you,” he said, smiling. “I won’t disappoint you!”

Dave nodded, rubbing his hands together. “Well, let’s hope you won’t,” he said gruffly. “So. Can you cook? You’re gonna help me with the food. First, we need a fire. Know how to set one up?”

Mercedes chuckled. “Oh, come on, Dave,” she teased. “Look at him, he’s a city boy. Of course he can’t set up a fire in a forest full of damp wood.”

She smiled at Kurt. “Don’t worry. I’ll show you.”

She took him away, grabbing his arm and Kurt followed her after a last look at Dave – who stared back at him with an unreadable look in his eyes.

 

***

 

A few hours later, Kurt felt embarrassed enough to wish he could just crawl under a rock and die.

He was absolutely _useless_. He couldn’t light a fire, heck, he couldn’t even collect usable wood. He couldn’t cook, he couldn’t lift heavy things out of the wagons, and he _almost_ set a bedroll on fire…

In the end Dave had told him to “sit the fuck down and don’t touch anything”.

And that was what Kurt was doing right now, leaning against the wagon and feeling miserable. When he ran away, he’d thought it would be an adventure, and romantic.

Instead it was just wet, exhausting and humiliating.

He wanted to cry.

 

“It’s not as easy as you thought, is it?”

Kurt looked up to see Tina standing beside him. He hadn’t even heard her come near him and was surprised.

“Uh… yeah. I mean… I never expected to be so… Bad at all this,” he answered after a moment and she chuckled, sitting down next to him.

“Well, as the Mayor’s son, I’m sure it’s a lot you have to get used to.”

He stared at her. “How do you –“

She interrupted him with another chuckle. “Please. Don’t think some spirits told me.” She winked. “Your friend, the blonde girl, she told me when she came into my tent.”

Kurt nodded. Quinn, of course. “Uhm… aren’t you gonna tell the others?”

Tina shrugged. “No, not yet. I told Michael, he’s my husband, and I tell him everything. But we decided to wait for a bit. Tell me, Kurt, why did you run away?”

He looked at the ground. “Home… Is like a prison,” he said quietly. “My father is very strict, he doesn’t want me to leave the house… He want’s me to marry my best friend… I can’t decide anything on my own. When I saw you… I just thought… I wanted to be free, like you.”

Tina sighed and grabbed his chin to make him look into her eyes. “Poor boy,” she said lowly. “Just because we don’t stay at one place forever, doesn’t mean we’re free. It just makes us homeless.”

She let go of him and stood up while he stared at her. He’d never thought about it like that…

“You can stay for now,” she said, looking down at him. “I’m sure it’s the right thing for you… And not just you.”

Her gaze flickered over to Dave, Santana and Mercy, standing around the pot, arguing.

“You’ll change someones life, Kurt Hummel,” she continued, smiling at him. “And it’s not just your own.”

She left for her own group, Kurt looking after her. He was seriously confused.

 

***

 

“I don’t think it’s a good idea to keep him with us, is all I’m saying,” Dave protested when Mercy shot him another glare.

“Please, Dave, you’re just scared you might like him too much,” Santana said, mockingly. “We all saw how you looked at him…”

Dave blushed. Sometimes he really wanted to smack her. He never did, of course. “It’s not that,” he tried to argue and then stopped himself. “Okay, maybe it is, at least partly,” he agreed. “But he’s also… He’s from the city. He won’t be able to keep up with us or be any help.”

Mercy shrugged. “Let him come with us,” she said. “If it gets too much for him, he’ll want to go back on his own soon enough. We can take him to the next city.”

Dave groaned. “You’re not taking this seriously at all, are you?”

The girls shared a look and then shook their heads. “No, we’re not,” they agreed and he groaned again, turning around.

“I’ll go get him,” he said and moved over to where Kurt was still sitting.

 

Kurt looked up when he heard Dave approaching and tried a weak smile. “Hey,” he said and was glad when Dave smiled back at him.

“Hey there,” the other boy said. “Food’s ready. Come and eat with us.”

Kurt looked down, blushing. “I’m not sure I deserve anything,” he mumbled, just as his stomach rumbled loudly, which just made him blush more.

Dave laughed. “Come on. We didn’t expect you to be an expert at all this. Come and eat and after, you can wash the dishes. Not much to do wrong there.”

Kurt looked back at him and when he saw that Dave was still smiling, he nodded hesitantely. “Okay… Thanks. For being so nice,” he stated and stood up to follow Dave to the fire.

“It’s nothing,” Dave said, shrugging. “We all grew up with this stuff – of course it’s different for you. I’m sorry if I made you feel bad.”

They sat down, Kurt between Dave and Mercy, who smiled at him before handing him a bowl of stew.

“It’s okay,” Kurt said. “I know I’m kinda useless… But I hope I’ll find something to help you out.”

Santana grinned at him. “I’m sure you will, Porcelain,” she leered. “We’ll find something useful for your ass to –“

“Santana!” Dave and Mercy interrupted her and she sniggered, leaning against Noah who was also grinning.

Kurt felt the blush creeping up into his hairline. He wasn’t used to language like this…

“Don’t mind them,” Mercy told him, scowling at Santana. “They’re our camp whores – and they both have the filthiest mouths of us all.”

Kurt didn’t say anything, just ate his stew. This was _really_ different compared to his life at home…

 

***

 

It got better at night. The Sinti had all moved to sit around one big fire, some had pulled out their instruments and they had started to dance.

Kurt watched then, enthralled, until Santana and Mercy had pulled him up to dance with them.

He’d not stopped laughing since then, he was having so much fun!

He’d danced with almost every girl and woman and a lot of men, moving his body in a way he’d never done before.

And right now he was _singing._ Together with Dave, too. Their voices melted together, forming a harmony he’d never heard before – and everyone was listening.

Kurt felt himself practically glowing. This was what he’d craved.

The freedom to do what he loved the most whenever he wanted.

 

Dave had watched Kurt most of the evening. After he’d done the dishes – and yes, he’d managed that just fine – he had clearly enjoyed their impromptu performance.

While dancing he’d looked so carefree, it made Dave’s heart ache. When was the last time he’d felt like that?

He had shared one dance with Kurt and couldn’t keep his eyes away from the other boy, almost stumbling into the fire twice, being mesmerized by those eyes…

And when Will had suggested they should sing together… Well.

Dave had felt something he hadn’t felt in _years_ , not since his parents had died during a flood in the camp where they’d lived under the Emperor’s law.

It was the feeling of being content. And home.

And it was all thanks to Kurt, that he felt it again.

Dave wasn’t sure what that meant.

 

***

 

The next day, Kurt sat besides Dave on the wagon. Dave showed him how to urge the mules forward when they were unwilling to move and told him little things about their family.

Kurt was smiling the whole time and listening hard. He wanted to know as much as he could about Dave.

By now he’d accepted that Dave was the “love” that Tina had promised him with her cards; the fluttering in his stomach was proof enough of that.

And slowly he got the feeling, that Dave might like him, too, which just made him happier.

 

During their next camp, Kurt was able to provide the firewood _and_ managed to take care of the food without letting it burn. He called that successful, Noah said he was slowly learning.

Dave watched Kurt getting along with his friends – his _family_ – and couldn’t help but notice the way his heart beat faster whenever Kurt smiled at him. He knew what that meant, and wasn’t sure if he should be happy with it.

 

“You like him,” Tina said from his side and he smiled at her. “You do, too,” he answered and she chuckled.

“Well, apparently we all do,” she agreed. “But you know that’s not what I meant.”

Dave nodded. “Yeah, I know. And you’re right. He’s… special. After just two days he’s already found a place in my heart. It scares me a bit.”

He never concealed anything from Tina. It wasn’t like she could really read your mind or anything, but she was very perceptive. She always noticed when you tried to lie to her, so Dave never tried.

She smiled at his words. “He’s made for you,” she told him, earning a surprised look.

“He really is. You will encounter some problems, but in the end, you belong together. Trust me.”

Dave looked at her for a moment and then back at Kurt, his smile growing. “When did I ever not trust you?” he asked her and she laughed, before joining her own group again.

Dave was left alone with his thoughts – which by now were about nothing _but_ Kurt.

 

***

 

A few days later, Dave and Kurt rode in silence, before Dave cleared his throat.

“So, Kurt,” he started nervously. “When we reach the next town… Will you stay with us? Or would you rather… Get back home?”

Kurt looked at him before concentrating again on the mules he was currently leading.

“I… I’d like to stay with you,” he answered hesitantely. “If you’ll have me.”

Dave looked ahead, not sure if he could find the strength to say the next thing on his mind when he got distracted by the way Kurt’s hair moved in the breeze…

“It’s not like we don’t want you with us,” he said slowly. “You’ve learned a lot in just a few days, it’s really admirable. But… Don’t you miss your home? I- I heard you crying last night.”

Kurt paled. He and Dave shared a wagon at night, together with Noah, and yes, last night Kurt had woken from a nightmare and he’d felt suddenly homesick… But he didn’t want to go back, to that prison of a house! Even if that meant he’d never see his father again… And oh, that hurt.

“I miss it,” he confessed, tears in his eyes. “I… I miss my father, and my friends… But out here… With you… I feel alive for the first time in a long time. For the first time in my life I’m… Free.”

He turned and this time Dave couldn’t do anything else but return his gaze. It took his breath away and without thinking about it he reached out to touch Kurt’s cheek.

Kurt’s breath hitched and he didn’t even notice that he let the mules stop in the middle of the road. “Dave…” he whispered and before he could say more, Dave was already leaning forward, pressing their lips together gently.

Kurt’s eyes fluttered close and he responded on instinct, moving his lips and whimpering.

Dave pulled back after a while, looking at the mules. They’d been left behind by the trail.

“We have to get going,” he said quietly and Kurt nodded, feeling dizzy. Dave took the reigns from him and urged the mules forward.

“I’d like you to stay with us, Kurt,” he said quietly. “I… I really like you.”

Kurt didn’t answer but when Dave looked at him again and saw the blush on his cheeks, he took it as a “Me too” anyway.

 

***

 

A day before they reached the new town – Hanover, apparently – they met a Tinker who asked if he could share their camp for the night.

Will said yes, of course, and invited him to his own fire.

At the festivities at night, he sat across Kurt, who sat between Dave and Mercy, as always, clapping and singing with the others. Kurt shifted under his piercing gaze and finally locked eyes with him.

“Is something wrong with my face?” he asked boldly and the Tinker blinked slowly.

“I know you,” he slurred, already feeling a bit under the heavy Sinti beer he’d been drinking.

“You’re… They’re looking for you.”

Kurt swallowed. The whole group had gone deadly quiet and he felt every pair of eyes on him. “What… What do you mean?” he croaked. “Who’s looking for me?”

The Tinker was oblivious to the attention he was getting. “The people in the next town. The guards. They’re looking for the son of Braunschweig’s mayor, Kurt Hummel. That’s you, right?”

There was a sudden intake of breath and Kurt looked at Will. The man’s eyes were cold as ice. “Is that true?” he asked, his voice dangerously calm. “Are you the mayor’s son?”

Kurt felt tears in his eyes but he nodded. “I… Yes. I’m Kurt Hummel.”

Will stood abruptly, moving to his wagon, followed by Emma, who cast a worried glance back at Kurt.

Kurt hung his head, crying silently, while the Sinti started to whisper to each other.

The Tinker just continued to drink his beer, not caring about the things said around him.

 

Dave stared at Kurt and then stood up, grabbing his arm. “Come with me,” he said and from the way Kurt flinched, he knew that his hurt must show in his voice.

He dragged Kurt over to what by now he called “their wagon” and pushed him behind it.

“What the fuck is going on?” he asked, furious. “You’re the _mayor’s_ son? Are you insane?”

Kurt just couldn’t stop crying, and the way Dave held his arm wasn’t helping.

“You’re _hurting_ me,” he cried. “Dave, please, let me go, I’m sorry!”

Dave let go of his arm, breathing heavily. His fury vanished and now he was just sad.

“Why did you lie to me?” he asked quietly. “To all of us?”

Kurt shook his head, sniffling. “I- I didn’t want to lie. But if you’d known… You’d never taken me with you. You would have told me to go back.”

 

“And rightfully so,” Will said, coming to join them, together with Emma and Tina.

“People think that we _kidnapped_ you, Kurt. Do you know what that means?”

Kurt paled again and he started shaking. “I… I didn’t know…”

Emma put her hand on his arm. “We know, Kurt,” she said softly. “But you must understand… We Sinti have only recently been released from the Emperor’s law. People still hate us, see us as nothing else than thiefs and criminals. When you went missing right after we left town, it was bound to arouse suspicion.”

Kurt sobbed. “But… I took a bag, and clothing! They have to know that I went willingly!”

Will shook his head. “People don’t care about that,” he said bitterly. “You’re gone and so are we. Naturally we are to blame. If I’d known who you are, I’d have sent you back right away.”

Here he sent Tina a reproachful look to which she didn’t react. Apparently she’d told Will that she’d known all along.

“We’ll take you to near Hanover and you’ll leave us,” he continued. “You’ll meet the guard of the town and they’ll escort you back while we go to another town. This way, they might leave us in peace.”

He turned around and left, after another cold look at Kurt. Emma squeezed his arm and followed him.

Tina stayed behind for a moment, looking between the two boys. “Dave, don’t let your anger cloud your heart,” she said quietly. “This might be the last time you see each other. Don’t waste it.”

With that, she also turned and left, leaving the two boys alone.

 

***

 

They had climbed into the wagon and sat in silence for a while.

Kurt looked up after a while and studied Dave’s face. “I wanted to stay with you,” he admitted bluntly. “I saw you from my window and then at the market and… I just felt so drawn to you. You have everything I craved for years. The freedom to go whereever you want whenever you want.”

Dave snorted and looked at Kurt, disgust on his face. “You have no idea what you’re talking about, Kurt,” he argued hotly. “We’re not free. We’re homeless. We don’t live in cities because no one wants us there. No one would accept us. We were locked up for years, until the Emperor decided to be merciful and let us out again. Now we’re always on the road, never really stopping, never having a home. All we have is us. We’re a family. And you? You endangered us, just because you wanted to have an adventure. God, Kurt. I’m so… _Angry_ with you right now. And at the same time...“

His face softened and he stroke Kurt’s cheek. “At the same time I’m sad that you have to leave tomorrow.”

Kurt whimpered and leaned forward so their lips could meet in a slow kiss.

“I don’t want to leave you,” Kurt whispered. “I might never see you again.”

Dave shook his head. “You will. I’ll make sure of it, I promise. One day I’ll find you again.”

He lay down and pulled Kurt on top of him. “Let’s go to sleep. Tomorrow will be a hard day for yo,” he said and Kurt nodded slowly.

They fell asleep, holding each other.

 

***

 

The whole group was sending Kurt dark looks and the only people who still talked to him were Dave and Mercedes. Even Santana and Noah had just scoffed and turned away when they saw him in the morning.

It was an uneasy ride, to say the least.

 

“It will be okay,” Dave said when they finally stopped and Will came over to tell Kurt that he had to leave. “I will find you.”

Kurt chuckled through his tears. “I’m not that hard to find. I won’t leave Braunschweig after all. You’re the one who’s moving around.”

Dave hugged him tight. “Thank you,” he whispered. “For making me feel something again.”

He fished something out of his pocket and held it out to Kurt. It was a necklace with an amulet of sorts connected to it.

“Take this,” Dave said. “My mother gave it to me. As long as you have it, I’ll find you, wherever you are.”

He put the necklace over Kurt’s head and then hugged him again.

Kurt returned the hug and then let go, wiping his face on his shirt. He got his bag and looked at Will.

“I’m really sorry,” he said again but the man didn’t answer, just pointed into the direction of the city. Kurt swallowed and under the eyes of the whole trail he started to walk.

When he passed Tina’s wagon, she looked down at him.

“Kurt,” she said. “Remember the reading I gave you?”

He looked at her and nodded. “Yes. You said I’d find love… And make a journey.”

She smiled. “I also said you’d get a message. Now you know what to wait for.”

He blinked and then smiled, squeezing her hand. “Thank you,” he said, crying again. “For everything.”

She nodded and he went on his way, one step after the other, until he reached Hanover.

There, he’d meet the guard who’d then bring him home. Back to his old life.

 

***

 

# One year later

“Kurt? Breakfast’s ready.”

Kurt looked up from his notebook and smiled at Rachel. “Thank you, love,” he said and stood gracefully after finishing writing down his dream from last night.

He followed Rachel – his _wife_ , it was still strange to say that – into their dining room.

“So, what do you have planned for today, Rachel?” he asked her between bites of bread and egg.

She smiled and started to tell him in detail about a wonderful dress she’d seen and wanted to get fit for her. He nodded along, his smile never leaving his face.

 

After he’d been picked up on the road to Hanover a year ago and marched straight back to his father, a lot had changed.

He’d practically been locked into the house for two weeks, until his family slowly started to believe him that he’d _not_ been abducted, but run away.

And it took a lot longer than that to make them forgive him.

About nine months later he had married Rachel, it hadn’t been negotiable at the time.

He’d been honest with her. He’d told her about Dave, that he would never love her like she deserved, but that he’d try to get her with child anyway, if she so desired.

Rachel had kissed his cheek, smiled, and said that she could wait.

“And anyway,” she’d added. “If you’re not interested in bedding me, I’ll just have to take one of the stableboys. You can have the other.”

They’d both started to laugh and Kurt accepted that a marriage with his best friend wouldn’t be the worst thing happening to him.

The wedding had been beautiful and by now he was actually quite… content with his life.

Not happy, no, but content.

It was the best he could hope for.

 

“Kurt?”

He looked up at Rachel. “Sorry, love, I got distracted,” he said with a small smile and she grinned.

“It’s okay. I just said that we have a new stableboy.”

Kurt frowned. “Why? I thought we were doing okay with Matt and Josua.”

She nodded and motioned one of the servants closer. “Yes, but he had a very good recommendation letter and I just couldn’t send him away.”

The servant handed Kurt a paper and he opened it curiously.

The writing was scrawly and smudged at some points, but the message was clear as day.

 

_“Kurt._

_I made it. I’d like my necklace back. Told you I’d find you._

_Love, D.”_

Kurt’s mouth fell open and he looked up to see Rachel grinning at him.

“What…?”

She laughed. “He’s in the stables. Arrived this morning. Go on, Kurt.”

Kurt needed another minute to process this, but then he jumped up, hugged her fiercely and ran out of the room, clutching the letter to his chest, Tina’s words from over a year ago in his ears.

“The fifth card – the Letter. It means there’s gonna be a message, probably concerning a wish of yours, which will arrive in the near future.”

It was finally here!

 

He reached the stables, breathing heavily.

“David?” he called into the dark and something moved.

A shape was coming closer, slowly, and Kurt had to strain his eyes to really _see_ …

“You really sleep forever, don’t you?” the voice he’d missed so much in the last year asked as Dave stepped into the light.

He hadn’t changed at all, and Kurt looked him up and down hungrily, still not really believing his eyes.

“I gave the servant the letter _hours_ ago.”

Kurt laughed and jumped into Dave’s arms which embraced him tightly.

“I thought I’d never see you again,” Kurt sobbed and felt Dave smile into his neck.

“Told you I’d come for you,” he answered. “I never break my promise.”

Kurt let him go and looked into his eyes.

“Neither do I,” he said earnestly. “And my promise to you… I’ll never let you leave again.”

Dave smirked. “You’ll keep me captive?” he asked, bending down to kiss him. “Fine with me. My freedom is with you, anyway.”

Kurt’s eyes fluttered shut. He knew exactly what Dave meant by that.

**Author's Note:**

> Comments are love <3


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